Taking The Hit
by Mickeyallister
Summary: During Lee and Gaara's fight in the Chunin Prelims, Naruto switches places with Lee when Gaara's sand coffin jutsu is about to crush the bug eyed boys limbs. His friends wonder how he can heal from a completely crushed arm and leg in a week and a half time. No pairing Cannon except Naruto gets injured
1. Crushed

**Just a short thing I thought of when I was reading a different fanfic of Naruto. Nothing major changes in the cannon except Gaara and Lee's fight was last.**

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**Chapter 1 **

**Crushed**

**Third POV**

Naruto was pumped. Energized to the max as he watched Bushy Brows and Gaara face off in the Forest of Death's indoor arena. Lee was running at just about the speed of light around the sand genin from the time Guy-sensei said that he could take off his weights. Naruto and the rest of the Konoha 12 could only see Lee's after images blur into a containing circle around Gaara leaving 4 to 5 Lee clones kicking up dust and making a mini tornado.

Gaara stood calmly in the middle of the mini Green Beast of Konoha's track, slightly on the defense as Lee had been able to hit him a couple of times due to his speed. The tanuki jinchuriki has his sand actively moving around at the ready to try to catch his opponent when he made his next attack. The sand was actively moving around in waves as the Mini Green Beast finally made his move.

**(AN: From this point until Gaara catches Lee is all cannon so if you want to skip it there will be another AN)**

Lee stopped in a crouch underneath Gaara and quickly kicked Suna's bijuu jailer into the air where his sand was not near enough to protect him right away. Lee continued to kick Gaara into the air a couple more times as the sand tried to come up to guard its user. Lee grabbed onto the shorter red head as he started to spin and he loosened bandages wrapped around the other, constricting him where he drilled Gaara into the now cracked flooring.

Lee almost fell to his knees in sheer exhaustion and the tearing that happened to his muscles when he used the Primary Lotus. Everyone, except Gaara's team, was surprised when the small boy laying in the hole started to turn to sand. The real Gaara appeared from a rising spout of sand and Lee steeled his resolve as the sand exploded outward in a giant wave which knocked the bushy browed genin back to just about the wall.

Lee was brutally knocked around by Gaara's sand until he was able to catch his breath and felt his muscles had almost fully repaired themselves. His muscles were used to this kind of use daily and had built up this healing factor due to their repeated abuse. He quickly blurred out of the way of two sand blasts, and focused on opening the chakra gateways he could actually feel. With a burst of bright blue chakra, Lee's skin turned reddish and his pupils disappeared and his veins stood out more. Then the Konoha taijutsu specialist disappeared again in with a burst of air in all directions that the other competitors felt, even from their elevated position above the battlefield.

Lee reappeared with his foot kicking Gaara back up into the air. The ground broke apart and a giant explosion of dust filled the floor and obscured everyone's vision of the fight. The spectators looked around when Gaara was seen floating above the cloud with the sand still trying to come up to protect him, suddenly Lee appeared above the injured Suna nin and forced him back to the floor. Lee kept up his speed blurring around and keeping Gaara in a certain area to further beat him up without letting up. Lee continued this cycle for a full minute before opening the fifth gate and ramming Gaara's midsection, sending him flying back down until Lee's bandages pulled him back for one last punch and kick combo.

Lee was seen rolling off to the side of the dust cloud, while the rest of the ninja still could not see Gaara and waited for the dust to settle. When the dust dissipated, Gaara was seen breathing heavily with broken sand armor and in a bed of sand that was originally the gourd on his back. The Suna nin manipulated his sand into a hand to in order to grab the one who had forced this pain upon him. At a slow speed, the sand enveloped Lee's left arm and leg as he tried to limp away. Lee shouted as he tried to break out of the restricting sand.

**(AN Cannon part is now over for those who wanted to skip)**

Naruto's team had passed by the area that Gaara had taken down the Amegakure genin, and had gleaned from his actions and others talking of the red haired jinchuriki that he was not kind to any one, including family. Naruto debated with himself.

_The damn fox has healed me from much worse injuries than what he is about to give to Bushy Brows, and I don't let any one severely harm any of my comrades to the point where they probably would not be able to continue on with their dream. What Hokage would I be if I knowingly sent my ninja on suicide mission. Screw if I get disqualified, this is about Bushy Brows continuing on his nina way, I'll still be able to heal up and become Hokage._

With his mind made up Naruto stealthily made the hand sign for a kawarmi jutsu without the other jonins noticing (He an outrun and hide from ANBU with the kill me orange and without ninja training. Pretty sure he could get away with stealing the hidden pervy books from the Sandaime's secret compartment in his desk without him realizing). Kakashi glanced down at his only remaining student before realizing that he had his hands signed for the body switching jutsu and knew the unpredictable ninja's plan.

"NO NARUTO," but it was too late for the Scarecrow as Naruto was replaced by Lee after a puff of smoke. Who looked around in confusion before a look of realization crossed his features.

"Sand Burial," Gaara said as he closed his fist. A higher pitched wail was heard as the smoke cleared. Seeing that an orange jump suited ninja and not a green one was crushed by his sand, he allowed the sand to come back to him. Naruto was unconscious as he was unceremoniously dropped to the ground. Gaara was slowly standing up and reforming his gourd as Naruto continued to lay knock out and seriously injured on the broken floor. The Old Sandaime stood from his seat seeing his late successor's son simply laying on the ground with crushed limbs and no medics rushing to bring him to the hospital for treatment.

"The match is over. Gaara of the Sand is the winner," Hayate Gekko proclaimed and returned to the aged Kage's side.

"Medics take Naruto to the hospital to set the limbs as best as you can," Sandaime ordered the medics, who reluctantly loaded the Kyuubi jinchuriki with, no care to his previous injuries, onto a stretcher to take to the hospital.

Everyone else was dumbfounded that Naruto would jeopardize his career as a ninja for a fellow ninja he really didn't know that much about. Kakashi should have realized after the Wave mission that Naruto would do just about anything for who ever needs it, and pulverized bones are one of the thing that Naruto can easily heal from where as a normal person would not be able to heal. Naruto's resolve must have been pushed over the edge by hearing about Lee's nindo, he knew Lee would not be able to persevere on his path.

The Sandaime arose, "Even with the events that have just occurred, we will still have the same line up, Kakashi since you are Naruto and Sauske's sensei you will pick both of the numbers and take them the news at the hospital. I will make sure they are both held in the same room," the Sandaime made the hand sign for the teleportation jutsu and disappeared in a swirl of leaves to take care of his surrogate grandson and the Last Uchiha.

Hayate then came forward with a box in his hand, "Alright so finalists and Kakashi come down to the floor and pick you number or numbers from this box." The genin and jonin walked down to the proctor and drew a number, or in Kakashi's case numbers. Each competitor then held up his/her number. Hayate returned to Anko who told the AV guys to change the names on the screen to the set up of the fights.

Uchiha Sasuke vs. Gaara of the Sand

Hyuuga Neji vs. Uzumaki Naruto

Temari of the Sand vs. Nara Shikamaru

Aburame Shino vs. Kankuro of the Sand

Kinuta Dosu vs. Bye

Kakashi soon disappeared to tell his invalid students who they were to fight in one months time. The rest of the genin left with their senseis from the horrid Forest of Death with some physical and mental scars that will haunt them for quite a while after they have returned to their homes from the Chunin Exams.

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**First chapter done! I don't know how many chapters this will be, but I had an urge to write this before continuing my other project for the summer. Not too far with my other project, but I will keep up with it. **

**Till next time,**

**Mickeyallister**


	2. Healing

**Wow I've never had this great of a turnout for any of my stories within the first day. That first chapter was all I had so I hope this was fast enough for everyone.**

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**Chapter 2**

**Healing**

Kakashi had come back for the past two days waiting in his students recovery room. The Sandaime pulled his weight and had gotten Naruto and Sasuke in the same room. Luckily Jiraiya of the Senin had come back to visit the village for 'research' purposes and had placed the best retaining seal around Sasuke's Heaven seal. The possibility of a new Icha Icha book made the one eyed jonin giggle pervertedly and blush under his mask. As the jonin waited for either genin to wake up, he thought back to when he had arrived at the hospital after leaving the Forest of Death.

_A puff of smoke appeared in front of Konoha's hospital entrance and out of the smoke the Copycat Ninja walked calmly towards the doors. As he pushed open the doors a large burst of killing intent stopped Kakashi in his tracks. Being used to KI let him quickly shake it of and he walked to the epicenter of the blast. He didn't have to go very far to see the old Hokage glaring at two nurses who, he assumed, were the main receivers of the God of Shiniobi's anger. He decided to try to disperse the situation to find out what happened._

"_Yo, I was just coming in to check on my two cute students, can you tell me what's going on with Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto," the silver haired jonin sported his eye smile and calmly waved his hand in greeting. Both parties turned to him, and the KI left the room as the Hokage pulled out his pipe and cast a simple katon jutsu to light it. As the Kage closed his eyes and pulled in some of the addicting smoke one of the nurses was about to say something, but the other grabbed the woman's outstretched hand and shook her head sternly._

"_Uchiha Sasuke has already been treated and transported to recovery room 213. We simply must wait for him to wake up, within the next two days, and then release him," the nurses tone took on a more forced cheerfulness as she continued on. "Uzumaki Naruto was just prepped for surgery so that the doctors can do as much as the can to help his already healing radius, his ulna and humerus were still crushed in his arm. The patient's fibula has mostly healed with only a few cracks left to fix, the tibia and femur's crushed bones have yet to be brought back to their normal place," here the nurse looked around and leaned in close to the two ninja. "As Patient Uzumaki was being moved to a gurney, his shirt rode up some and we saw the seal was visible. My friend and I did the preliminary and thought that since the Toad Sanin was in the building and a fuin-jutsu master, we had him take a look at the seal for any obscurities." she paused. The Sanin walked around the corner as if he had been summoned._

"_Sarutobi sensei, I just checked the seal that holds you-know-what on you-know-who. The eight trigrams seal had a five elements seal over top, so while the gaki was unconscious, I removed the seal mostly painlessly for him" the self proclaimed Super Pervert crossed his arms, "You-Know-What's chakra is now running through his circulatory system and he should be completely healed within the week," Jiraiya finished. The cage nodde sand reminded the medics to put Naruto in room 213 with Sasuke when he was finished with surgery. "Well if you don't mind I'll be back later on this week to check on my godson recovery, and Kakashi," the Sanin's face became serious, "I'll train Naruto if you want to train the Uchiha, I would like to teach him a couple things I'm sure his father would have taught him by now," he then grew a perverted smile. "TO RESEARCH…AWAY," he yelled as he disappeared with a dust cloud and the sound of the hospital doors clanging as they brushed past each other! _

"_Well Jiraiya will be Jiraiya, Kakashi will you join me in Sasuke-kun's room for a quick talk," the Hokage turned away and slowly walked towards the genin's room and sped up once he heard the other ninja follow him. They silently walked to the Lone Uchiha's room. "I had asked Jiraaya to place a sound suppressant seal on this room before he left so that we can speak freely," the old man sat down in a nearby chair. "I just wanted to explain what you had broken up earlier when you walked in," he took a deep, calming breath. "You know just as well as I do how much the older generation hates Naruto for the Kyuubi. When he was brought in, the medics would not treat him as they said he was healing at a faster rate then even what they could have helped a normal shinobi, so they saw fit to simply place him in a recovery room straight away and await the fox's chakra to heal the boy." _

_Even with Kakashi serving as one of Naruto's ANBU guardians when he was younger than the academy age, he still liked to slip away from the ANBU after pulling a prank on a shopkeeper or civilian who had previously treated him terribly. It was at these times that the people who held a deep seated hatred against the infamous demon fox would hunt down the young boy and beat him severely. When the guardians finally found him again the groups would have just dispersed and they would bring in any stragglers who looked to get a last hit on the battered boy. An ANBU would stay with Naruto in the hospital to assure that he was treated and fully healed by the time the nurses would release him. Kakashi was lucky to have only needed to stay only a handful of times. From him being off of Naruto Guard for so long, he had forgotten how terrible even the medics under the oath to serve everyone treated the practically defenseless child. _

"_I see, you want me to stay here with my students until they __**both **__wake up," the jonin sighed. Not that he didn't want to make sure his students were healthy, he was just exasperated that anyone could even think to do this to a fellow shinobi, hell they treat their enemies better than they treat Naruto. Enemy ninja are simply killed, but the hyperactive ninja is always reminded by almost every person every day that his life has been absolute hell. It's a wonder that the boy holds just about no hate for anyone in the village that has done him wrong, which does not include a little over two handfuls of people._

" _You will have Sasuke more than enough time to train. I would have Jiraiya watch him, as he will teach him once he's released, but even if he can be serious," he released a puff of smoke, "he is still the same old Jirayia…I could just close the blinds so he can't find any distractions," Sarutobi mused. "No then he would just run after the first busty nurse that would come in here not threatening Naruto. Yes Kakashi I do need you to stay until both wake genin wake up," the Hokage leveled Kakashi with a stare. "At least you can't be late for this," he turned around, "I'll be sure they send in a cot for you." _

Kakashi came out of his thoughts to the sound of a groan. The sound had emanated from the bed off to the right of him. The dark haired brooder slowly sat up and brought a hand up to the seals on his neck. The jonin allowed Sasuke the time to come back into the living world, but as he started to look around he got his student's attention. "Sasuke your first match in a month will be against Gaara of the Sand. To try to beat him we will work on your speed and," he turned very serious, "I'll teach you a jutsu that you must promise not to use unless things turn deadly with this ninja."

"Hn," Sasuke said and then turned away. He swung his feet over the side and stood up, taking his clothes and walking over to the bathroom to change into them. A couple minutes later the boy walked out of the bathroom in his usual clothes. "What happened to the dobe? I've never seen him down for more than a couple hours at most," Kakashi was a little surprised that the avenger was asking about something that really did not concern him.

"Naruto saved Lee from Gaara at the expense of his right arm and leg. His mother's family was known for being chakra monsters and they don't stay injured for long, Remember when he stabbed the kunai in her hand on the way to Wave Country? I checked that night and there wasn't even a scar on his hand" here Sasuke nodded his head as both statements were true when talking about his hyperactive 'rival.'

"Are you ready to begin training me," Sasuke asked his sensei? Kakashi shook his head no and handed his student a scroll.

"I want to make sure Naruto is okay, tell him who he is fighting, and let him know who will be his new sensei over the course of the month for the final part of the Chunin exams," Kakashi appeased his student.

"Hn. Alright I'll be back tomorrow to check if you'll be ready to teach me tomorrow then," Sasuke turned to the door as it slid open.

"SASUKE-KUN YOU'RE BETTER," his other teammate, Haruno Sakura, tried to glomp him, but he moved out of the way and she ended up falling onto his old hospital bed. "OHHH I knew you'd be better faster than Naruto-baka," her hands were clenched into fists with palms facing towards her in front of her face. "After all you are so much better than him too," The banshee exclaimed in a matter-of-fact tone. She had missed Naruto's self sacrifice for Sakura's 'suitor,' and truly did not know why he was laying in a hospital bed completely unharmed. "Do you want to go out to lunch before Kakashi-sensei starts training you," the hopeless pink haired kunoichi asked expecting a yes since she beat (KO'ed each other) Ino.

"No I need to start training immediately if I am to get closer to reaching my ambition," Sasuke left through the already opened door slowly, then booked it from the banshee from Yomi (Hell) when he was out of ear shot of the genin ninja.

"HE IS SOOOOO COOL," she exclaimed and then turn to her grey haired sensei. "So what's wrong with Naruto? He doesn't seem to be injured and he was completely fine after his fight, so why is he in the hospital," she didn't really care all that much, but wanted to try to show Kakashi there was some kind of team camaraderie.

He sighed still knowing that the only one of his students that truly cared about any one else was the unconscious one and he was still one or two days from waking up. "If you really want to know then Naruto decided that since he can heal from basically any injury, he switched places with Lee before he could take a career ending arm and leg crushing," he had the most bored tone as he explained this because as much as he wished all of his students cared and could break the Team 7 curse, it seemed like that was not happening between Sasuke and Sakura's dispositions. Sakura nodded and turned to the still open doorway and walked out closing the door behind him.

He clearly heard Sakura's next words, "That baka why did he try to shin his chances at becoming a chunin?" Kakashi felt anger that quickly boiled away to irritation.

"Well Naruto, it seems you were the only one to take my first lesson to heart. Sakura is the true trash on the team, but Sasuke I can't really tell," he sighed. "One minute that gaki is brooding and speaking of revenge, but the next he could be having a decently friendly conversation with Naruto or simply being a somewhat normal ninja," he sighed again. Finishing his monologue, "At least I have one student who is a true teammate, this team might just work out." He shook his head and looked over to the blonde Jinchuriki that deserves the respect that is wasted on his other two teammates, then went back to his precious orange book.

About a chapter and a half after he had restarted reading the book, Naruto shifted on the bed and yawned. Now he seemed to be sleeping rather than just passed out. _Shouldn't be much longer that he will be unconscious_. He turned his attention back to his book for another couple of chapters. He was interrupted this time by Jiraiya coming into the room via the window.

"So gaki's still in dreamland," the white haired pervert said while pointing a thumb at he future student. Kakashi sighed **(I'm making him do that a lot aren't I) **he simply nodded. He was tired of waiting in this chair and as much as he loved the sanin's books, he was getting tired of just reading them to pass the time.

"He had shifted a bit earlier so he should be awake soon if you want to stay," the jonin pleaded in his head for his company as the nurses now avoided the room like the plague they saw the Jinchuriki. Jiraiya took a seat and and pulled out a familiar notebook, which Kakashi stared at while the toad sanin wrote out his thoughts. Jiraiya noticed the other man's stare at his prized notebook and made a quick decision.

"You know I never really have any one that I can trust to help with editing my writing style and the erotica of the scenes so do you want to read over it before I send it to be published," Jiraiya knew from the Hokage that the jonin was notorious for carrying around the latest copy of his famous books in one of his pockets to always have to read. The other man's single eye widened slightly and as Jiraiya tossed the notebook, Kakashi cradled it carefully with shaking fingers. He tried to compose himself as he slowly lifted the cover off of the front page. He was just about to uncover the coveted words when he heard a lot more rustling coming from the bed next to him. He turned his head away to his half asleep student now sitting up and rubbing his eyes on the hospital bed. _Just my luck right. When I finally get a really good break, my chargee goes and finally wakes up._

"Hey Kakashi-sensei, what's up with the white haired geyser sittin' in the corner," Naruto asked?

"Nice to see you have finally woken up Naruto," Kakashi replied in an exasperated and sarcastic tone.

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**Heh didn't know where to end it so I figured i'd end it here. Sorry for the wait but I just started work again and I've almost reached the next rank in Call of Duty Ghosts (6 more levels!). So just a little busy.**

**Thanks for putting up with me,**

**Mickeyallister**

**Also I will be taking suggestions for the next couple of chapters cuz I kinda have a rough idea, but I want something to flesh it out.**


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